सौमदत्तिस् तु राजानं मणिमन्तम् अतन्द्रितम् ॥
पर्यवारयद् आयान्तं यशो द्रोणस्य वर्धयन् ॥
स सौमदत्तेस् त्वरितश् छित्त्वेष्वसनकेतने ॥
पुनः पताकां सूतं च छत्रं चापातयद् रथात् ॥
अथाप्लुत्य रथात् तूर्णं यूपकेतुर् अमित्रहा ॥
साश्वसूतध्वजरथं तं चकर्त वरासिना ॥
रथं च स्वं समास्थाय धनुर् आदाय चापरम् ॥
स्वयं यच्छन् हयान् राजन् व्यधमत् पाण्डवीं चमूम् ॥
saumadattis tu rājānaṃ maṇimantam atandritam ||
paryavārayad āyāntaṃ yaśo droṇasya vardhayan ||
sa saumadattes tvaritaś chittveṣvasanaketane ||
punaḥ patākāṃ sūtaṃ ca chatraṃ cāpātayad rathāt ||
athāplutya rathāt tūrṇaṃ yūpaketur amitrahā ||
sāśvasūtadhvajarathaṃ taṃ cakarta varāsinā ||
rathaṃ ca svaṃ samāsthāya dhanur ādāya cāparam ||
svayaṃ yacchan hayān rājan vyadhamat pāṇḍavīṃ camūm ||
The son of Somadatta [Bhurishravas] barred the path of king Manimant, untiring, as he rode up, increasing Drona's fame. He, having swiftly cut down the bow and banner of the son of Somadatta, then dropped the flag, the charioteer and the parasol from his chariot. Then, springing instantly from his chariot, the slayer of foes bearing the yupa-standard hacked him down together with his horses, charioteer, standard and chariot, with an excellent sword. And mounting his own chariot, taking up another bow, himself driving the horses, O sovereign, he scattered the host of the Pandavas.
d902d6b4b5dc · published Jul 19, 2026, 3:11:21 PM UTC
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Bhurishravas, stripped of his bow, banner, charioteer and parasol, does not lose heart, but springs from his chariot and with his sword hacks down his enemy along with his very team -- and then, as if nothing had happened, mounts his chariot again, takes the reins himself, and routs an entire army. In this swift reversal lies the image of a warrior for whom there is no hopeless position. It is telling that, left without a charioteer, he drives himself -- a true champion who is at once archer, charioteer and foot fighter. The verse teaches that true valor does not depend on equipment or circumstance -- the disarmed man finds another weapon, the one left without a driver takes the reins himself; that a master's resourcefulness and versatility turn every loss into a new opportunity; and that an unbending spirit, one that knows no word for "impossible," is the very strength on which a warrior stands when everything outward collapses.